


McKirk Advent Calendar 2013

by Corrie71



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Academy Era, Advent Calendar, Angst, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Holidays, M/M, Not Beta Read, Possibly Pre-Slash, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-03
Updated: 2013-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-03 08:00:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 14,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1068003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corrie71/pseuds/Corrie71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short fluffy McKirk drabbles for Advent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One: Peppermint Bark

**Author's Note:**

> Coming fresh of Nanowrimo (I didn’t win but am ok with that. I’m just going to keep on going until I get this book done), I want to keep my writing streak alive but know that I won’t get a lot done this month with the holiday prep. So, I thought I’d do a McKirk Advent calendar as a fun way to make sure I get some writing in this month and (hopefully) amuse all of you.
> 
> These are all unbeta-ed short little glimpses of our favorite boys during the Christmas season. I think most of the entries will be unrelated though I just wrote a two-parter today so perhaps not. Most of them will be tooth-rotting fluff but I might throw in some angst-with-a-happy-ending too. I will post daily, except from the 12th to the 16th when I will be out of town and not have internet access. 
> 
> Feedback and comments are treasured. My AO3 kudos email makes me smile every time!
> 
> Happy holidays!
> 
> PS: If there are any specific things you want to prompt me with, feel free. No promises though!
> 
> PPS: Starting posting on the 2nd due to the AO3 hiccup yesterday (thank goodness it's back!) so posting two entries to kick off.

On the first day of Advent, in the first year of their five year mission, Jim returned to his quarters alone. The dark and deserted cabin was a depressing reminder that Bones was on the opposite shift this week. Jim pouted through his shower before flopping down on the sofa to pout some more. Then he caught sight of the red and white striped bag on his desk. He snatched up the foil package and stared at it, wonderingly. How had his boyfriend managed to get Ghiradelli’s peppermint bark on board the Enterprise?

Peppermint bark was Jim’s all time favorite holiday treat. He had fond memories of making vast batches of the minty chocolate in his grandmother’s kitchen to be distributed for neighbor and teacher presents. He gorged himself on the sweet indulgence while making up gift labels—always his job— as Sam got to crush the candy canes and Gram would pack the sugary bark up.

Their first year at the Academy, Bones and Jim trekked across the Golden Gate Bridge—riding on one of the old fashioned hover-trolleys— to take in the Christmas lights. They walked around the city, ending up in Ghiradelli square. Jim discovered their peppermint bark and nearly bought out the store. Bones bitched about having to carry it back to their dorm but Jim caught him sneaking some of the foil wrapped treats himself over the Christmas season. 

Visiting Ghiradelli’s became one of their Christmas traditions at the Academy. They would go see the lights on Lombard Street and then haul Jim’s annual stash of peppermint bark back across the bridge, Bones grumbling about diabetes and holiday weight gain the entire way home. 

Now, Jim dressed casually and walked down to medbay to find Bones flipping through charts on his PADD. He walked up to him and pressed a sweet kiss to his mouth.

“You taste like mint and chocolate.” Bones smiled at him. “Must have found your present.”

“It’s tradition, Bonesy.” Jim hugged him tight and Bones wrapped his arms around him. 

“Merry Christmas, darlin’”


	2. Day Two: Christmas Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones go Christmas shopping...

“Help me pick out a gift for Elizabeth.” Bones demanded of Jim the first weekend in December. Bones had been dating his medical history professor, Doctor Elizabeth Dehner since mid-October. Despite Bones spending every third night or so sleeping over, Jim hadn’t realized that it was serious enough to progress to Christmas gifts just yet.

“What? Why? I’ve never even met her.”

“Just come on.”

“Oh no, this is just a ploy to get me to go shopping with you.”

“Don’t make me brave those stores alone. Come on, kid.”

Jim sighed but donned his coat, wrapping his scarf around his neck. He can never resist Bones. “Fine. But you’re buying me dinner.”

They made their way to the crowded shopping district, stuffed with crying children, piped in out-of-tune Christmas music, and dazzling displays. He followed Bones around for a bit, watching as he glanced at a coat, perfume, purses only to reject them all. “What’d you buy for your ex-wife for Christmas?”

“Pamela usually made it easy for me and picked out her own present or gave me a list.”

“That’s romantic.” Jim rolled his eyes as Bones poked through a tower of fragrant soaps, lotions, and other bath potions before wandering away, Jim trailing behind.

“It was, actually. She knew how much I hated shopping. I’ve only been dating Elizabeth a few months. And I’m not sure how serious we are. So this gift needs to be personal, but not too personal, you know?”

Jim shook his head. “No, I don’t. I’ve never bought a present for a significant other.”

“Never?” Bones blinked at him, walking closer to him than usual to avoid the streaming crowds. 

“No. Never had one long enough.” Jim shrugged. “Well, what’d you buy for Pamela for Christmas at first?”

“I gave my sister my credit card.”

Jim sighed, following after Bones, elbowing aside the crowd. “Okay, but what did your sister purchase with the credit card?” Bones stopped and glared at a glittering jewelry display. Jim glanced at Bones, who shrugged. “You have no idea, do you?”

“No. And, anyway, I knew it was serious with Pamela by then so...”

“And now?” Jim stuffed his hands in his pockets and feigned interest in a Santa display, ignoring his suddenly pounding heart. Despite the fact that he’d never met the marvelous and wonderful Doctor Elizabeth Dehner, he disliked her. Bones seemed obsessed with impressing her all the time and he loved to regal Jim with tales of “Elizabeth said…” And “Elizabeth thinks…” And she was a professor and…Jim just didn’t like her. She just wasn’t good enough for Bones. 

“I like Elizabeth. But…”

“But what?” Jim said, hating himself a bit for wanting to know so badly.

“Not in love with her. Not planning on a future with a white picket fence and two kids and all that.”

“But you could fall in love with her, right? I mean, like, in the future.”

Bones shook his head. “I don’t believe in that stuff any more.”

“Love is like Santa Claus? You grow up and stop believing?”

“You’re really unhelpful with this gift buying stuff.” Bones raked his hands through his hair, making it stand up and look adorably tousled. Jim glanced away, swallowing hard.

“Didn’t answer my question.” Jim said, feeling both stubborn and ridiculously hopeful.

“If I answer you, will you help me?” Jim nodded. “My marriage ended. Badly. But, before all that, I did believe in all that stuff because I saw it. My parents had it. It just doesn’t seem like I got the genes for it is all. I don’t think I’ll ever really be in love again and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the first time around. Now, will you help me find a gift?”

“Let me comm Gaila. She’ll figure it out for you.”

As they waited for Gaila to join them, they leaned against a window display, idly watching the stressed out shoppers around them. Bones turned to Jim, “Well, what about you, Mr. King of the One-Night Stand? You believe that love exists?”

Jim looked at Bones and, jostled by the crowd, stepped closer, able to see the flecks of honey in his forest colored eyes. There it was again, the awareness between them, the flare of physical desire that they both ignored and pushed away. Against his will, Jim’s gaze dropped to Bones’ full lips before dragging back up to his eyes. The cold had put some color in his cheeks and the wind tossed his bangs over his forehead. Jim felt his pulse kick up a few notches. Finally, his gaze never leaving Bones’ amazing eyes, Jim nodded.

“You and Gaila?”

“Nah. I like her a lot and we have fun together but no.”

“So…” Bones cut himself off a moment later when Gaila arrived, shattering the spell between them. She helped Bones pick out a lovely leather briefcase for Elizabeth though, looking back, Jim felt that he’d been the one to get his Christmas gift that day.


	3. Day Three: Ornaments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim is mystified when Bones is upset over the receipt of a Christmas package from home (part one of two)

“Slow down, Bones.” Bones knocked back two fingers of bourbon and then downed another drink the moment they stepped up to the bar. Other than when they’d memorably met on the shuttle, Jim had never seen Bones drunk. Usually, Bones was the one half-dragging, half-carrying him home from whatever bar they toppled into on the weekends. Bones usually nursed one bourbon and then switched to water. It alarmed Jim to see Bones slugging back like he was hell-bent on getting wasted as fast as possible. “Did something happen? Something at work?”

Bone shook his head and ordered another drink. Jim grabbed his wrist. “You’ve had two drinks in ten minutes. What the hell is going on?”

“Don’t have to nursemaid me, Jimmy.” Bones grabbed his drink with his free hand and slugged it back. 

“Have you had any dinner?” Jim tried to orient himself. He’d come home from his afternoon class to find Bones sitting at his desk, reading something on his PADD. Jim dropped the parcel he’d picked up at the front desk for Bones and headed to the tiny bedroom nook to change into civvies. Bones had been chatting with him and then, when he saw the package he’d trailed off. He’d opened it, peeked inside, and then stood. That’s when he’d asked Jim for the drink.

“What was in the box, Bones?” Jim whispered, now holding both Bones’ wrists in a loose grip but effectively preventing him from ordering a 4th drink. Bones sucked air in over his teeth and grimaced. 

“Nothing important.” Bones pressed his lips together and tried to tug his wrists away. He glared at Jim but, having lived with the cranky doctor for four months, Jim had become somewhat immune to a Bones glare. He simply raised his eyebrow at him and waited. Bones sighed.

“Just some Christmas decorations.” Jim released his wrists and Bones promptly ordered another bourbon. The bartender glanced at Jim but served Bones the fourth drink. “If he cuts me off, we’ll just go to…”

“How about we get something to eat and you can tell me what set you off about some Christmas decorations?”

“How about you mind your own damn business?” Bones said, but without heat. Jim simply waited. “Fine. Since I never met anyone that is as persistent and nosy as you—which is saying something since I grew up in Georgia where the matrons take persistent and nosy to art forms—my mama sent me my ornaments.”

Bones seemed to feel he’d said enough on the subject and sat glaring at the hardwood bar as if it had done him some deeply personal wrong. He sipped slowly at his bourbon this time. Jim waited, sipping his own drink. Bones seemed a bit less frantic this side of his still bewildering admission. 

“We all had them.” Bones said, quietly. “My sisters and me. Every Christmas, we got a new ornament, something to do with our lives that year. And then, when we had our own houses, we’d have them as a starter kit for our own trees.”

“That’s a nice tradition.” Jim said and Bones glared at him again. Jim considered. Bones had been married so he’d presumably—Jim wasn’t that clear on the details here—had his own house with his ex-wife. So, wouldn’t he have gotten the ornaments then?

“Did your ex-wife give them back or something?” Jim said, taking a stab in the dark at why the receipt of his childhood ornaments would send Bones into the bottle. 

“She did. One of the few things I got in the divorce.”

“Other than your bones, you mean?” Jim smiled at him and Bones shrugged. 

“So, how come your mom sent them now?” Jim pondered it. To his knowledge, Bones hadn’t spoken to anyone in his family in the four months they’d been roommates at the Academy. He hadn’t even realized that Bones had living family. 

Bones pressed his lips together and shook his head, staring into the amber depths of the whiskey. “It’s a message.”

“A message?” 

“Means I’m not welcome at home any more.” Bones eyes were shiny in the half-light of the bar and Jim patted his arm, still at a complete loss.

“Because you joined Starfleet?” Jim guessed but Bones shook his head, pressing his lips together even more firmly. So, clearly Bones wasn’t going to answer that one, at least not tonight. “Come on, Bones. Let’s go get a tree.”

“A tree?”

“So we can put up your ornaments.” Jim answered slowly. Bones shook his head. “Nope, come on. I want to see what ornaments were important to a baby Bones.” 

Jim dragged him off the barstool and out into the night, in search of the perfect tree.


	4. Day Four: Ornaments (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim decorates a Christmas tree for Bones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and kudos. Every single one makes my day :-)

“No one has a live tree any more.” Bones protested, staggering a bit but generally holding his liquor better than Jim did. Jim flung an arm around his shoulders, telling himself that it was to hold Bones up.

“We did in Iowa.”

“That’s because that’s what you have in Iowa. Trees and sky and corn mazes…”

“The corn mazes are generally a Halloween thing. I got my first kiss in a corn maze when I was 12.”

“Ha! I was 11.” Bones snickered.

“Doesn’t count if it’s your cousin, Bonesy.”

“Wasn’t my cousin! She was a Georgia peach.” Bones protested, waving his hands for emphasis, overbalancing and nearly toppling into the gutter. Jim propped him up. “What were we talking about?”

“I want a live tree.” Jim said, stubbornly. “Even if I have to fly home to Iowa and cut it down myself.”

“Can’t we just get a artificial one? Probably against the rules to have one in the dorm anyway.”

In the end, Jim managed to find them a small, vaguely pine looking shrub and drag it back to the dorm room. He stopped for lights. After another brief argument with Bones over tinsel (Bones against and Jim for—Bones emerged victorious), they made their way back to the dorm room, Bones requiring Jim’s steady guidance.

Jim dumped him down on his bunk and Bones flopped back like a rag doll, the four bourbons he’d slugged down beginning to affect him. Jim secured the tree on their coffee table and strung the lights, bathing the room in a cheery glow. Since Bones was clearly not going to participate, Jim opened the box of ornaments.

The first one he dug out was a rocking horse emblazoned with “Baby’s First Christmas, 2227” on it. “So you’re six years older than me! You’ll turn 29 next year. Last year of your twenties, old man.”

“Jeez, Jim. Thanks for reminding me.” Bones shook his head, crossed his legs at the ankle, and closed his eyes.

“Do not fall asleep. Oh, look here’s a little box of crayons.”

“Grammie gave that to me when I was 5. I loved to color and draw back then.”

“Do you still?” Bones shrugged. In quick succession, Jim pulled out a skateboard, a train, and a peach. He noted with some amusement that the peach was dated 2238—the year Bones would have turned 11. “So, did you get to pick out your ornament or did your mom chose them?”

“She chose when we were little. But we picked them out as we got older.” Bones answered. Jim glanced at the small caduceus in his hand, dated from 2243. “You knew you’d be a doctor when you were 16?”

Bones nodded. “Actually, younger than that. My daddy was a doctor and my gramps too. Just following along.”

Jim filled out the tree with multiple ornaments including a soccer ball, a cartoon character he couldn’t name, and a hover-cycle. Jim pulled the last ornament out and gaped at the bridal couple, dated 2248. “You got married when you were 21?” 

“Actually, I was 20. Did college in three years. We got married in June after I graduated and then I started medical school in August, just before my 21st birthday.”

“You were two years younger than me now.” Jim said, with some horror, struggling to imagine having a wife. 

“She was 25 at the time. Didn’t want to wait.” Jim raised his eyebrows at that revelation but wisely refrained from commenting. Bones raised his head to glance at the tree. 

“Looks nice, Jimmy.”

“We just need a topper. I think I have something that might work.” Jim crossed to his desk and pulled out a roughly hewn metal starship. He wrapped some lights around it to secure it at the top of the tree. 

“Is that a salt shaker?” Bones asked, puzzled.

“Yeah. It’s from the Shipyard Bar where I met Pike.” After flipping on some holiday music, Jim crawled into his bunk and ordered the room lights off. They both watched the colored lights flicker on the ceiling for a while before Bones whispered, “Thanks, Jim.”


	5. Day Five: Gingerbread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Presenting the fifth annual Enterprise gingerbread contest...

The fifth annual Enterprise gingerbread house contest consisted of the usual cheating, cursing, and cunning trickery—and that was just the engineers. Engineering had taken the trophy the four prior years with larger and more ornate creations each year. Last year, they’d made a life-size mock-up of the bridge in the mess hall. It’d made eating a real challenge for three shifts and so this year, Kirk had decreed that no entry could be larger than an old-fashioned breadbox.

Kirk roped both Spock and Uhura into being on the judging committee after allegations last year that Chekov was biased toward Engineering. Spock always surprised Kirk around Christmas time by being cautiously fascinated by the decorations and traditions. He even attempted to participate in the holiday cheer, though the entire crew knew better than to allow the Vulcan so much as a sip of Dr. McCoy’s special eggnog. 

On Christmas Eve, the committee wandered up and down the aisles of gingerbread creations arranged in the mess hall, amazed at the creativity of the crew. Perhaps they’d gone all out for their last Christmas in space. There were multiple copies of the Enterprise, several of famous Terran structures, and even a gingerbread diorama of a Risian pleasure beach. 

The last entry was a tiny, meticulously crafted farmhouse. The little house stood two stories, with stained glass candy windows lit from within, giving off a homey, inviting glow. A wraparound porch with candy cane stick pillars and green icing garland fronted the structure. A perfect matching wreath decorated the front door with a miniature fondant yellow lab sitting on the front porch. The human judges exclaimed over every detail and even the Vulcan pronounced it “exquisite.” The committee conferred for only seconds before Jim proclaimed the tiny farmhouse the winner. But no one stepped forward to claim their prize. 

“Who made this?” Jim asked the assembled crew.

“Check the mailbox out front, Jim.” Bones called from the back of the room. 

Kirk bent at the waist to peer at the old fashioned mailbox in front of the farmhouse. “It says Kirk-McCoy. Bones, you made this?”

“Only a surgeon could be that precise.” Bones said as he walked to the front of the room. He bent at the waist to murmur in Jim’s ear. “Figured I’d give you your Christmas gift a bit early, darlin.’”

“You made me a gingerbread house?”

“That’s just symbolic.” Bones handed Jim a PADD with the deed to a Georgia farm on it. “Figured we needed someplace to call home.”

Jim smiled at him and, mindful of the crew, squeezed his hand. “You’ll get your real thank you later.”


	6. Day Six: Peaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim finds the perfect gift for Bones...

For their third Christmas in space, Jim found the perfect gift for Bones. On Christmas Eve, he sweet talked the Enterprise kitchen staff into making part of his find into a pie and then set the rest up in their quarters. 

Bones dragged himself in after a double shift in medbay. He’d worked a double to give more of his medical staff holiday time off. Jim couldn’t complain. He’d done the same for his staff. He yanked his blue overshirt over his head and then stopped, sniffing the air, a thoughtful scowl on his face. 

“Jim, what’s it mean when you smell peaches? Because if you smell burnt toast, it can be the sign of a stroke.”

“Only you would confuse your Christmas gift with a stroke! It’s peach pie, silly.”

“Peach? Pie?”

“Yep. I went with a theme this year. There’s peach pie, peach ice cream, something called peach butter, another thing called peach pralines, peach brandy, and peach bourbon. Not sure how good that’ll be though.”

Bones crossed the cabin, still holding his blue overshirt loosely in his hands, to peer down at the array of jars and bottles arranged on Jim’s desk. 

“You got me peaches?”

“That’s right. Real Georgia peaches. And they sent some pecans too but I think that was just a bonus or something. Everything I could think of. Oh, there’s a whole case of them under there but they’re ripening quick so I tasted one.” Jim lifted the peach he’d been munching on to his mouth and took an enormous bite. Bones leaned forward and swiped his tongue over Jim’s lip, moaning as the sweet juices exploded over his tongue. 

“Merry Christmas, Bonesy. Though I might call you Peaches from now on.”

“Don’t you dare!”

“Only in my quarters. Now come to bed and thank me properly.”

“Not before I’ve had my pie.”

“I can show you some very interesting ways to eat that pie.”

“Promises, promises, darlin.” 

“You bet, Peaches.”


	7. Day Seven: Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being from Georgia, Bones has never seen snow...

“I’ve never seen snow.”

“Never?”

“Doesn’t snow much in Atlanta. There were a few ice storms that shut school when I was a kid and a big storm I missed when I was in college but…” Bones shrugged or at least Jim assumed he did. It was difficult to tell in Bones’ usual Nanook of the North costume. From late October onward, Bones dressed in layers to ward off the San Francisco chill. Now, near Christmas, he wore so much clothing that he looked like the abominable snowman. 

“I can fix that.”

“Don’t do me any favors, kid.” Bones grumbled, swiping at his PADD with his gloved hands. 

The next Saturday, their first weekend of winter break, Jim woke Bones by snatching away his nest of covers and scurrying to the bathroom to hide behind the locked door. Had their dorm not been empty, Bones would have woken every single person with his indignant roar. 

“Get dressed, Bones! We’re going to see some snow.” Jim called through the door.

Bones grumbled the entire way to the shuttle and Jim pretended to be deaf. Even the perfectly prepared coffee (lots of cream, no sugar, dash of cinnamon) and toasted bagel that Jim thoughtfully presented to the cranky doctor didn’t improve his mood, especially when he realized they had to travel by shuttle. 

“It’s a 15 minute ride. Sip your coffee and keep your eyes closed.”

As they walked into the charming town of New Tahoe, Bones ran his ungloved fingers through the snow. “It’s more powdery than I imagined. Like cold sand.”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been to the beach.”

“You’ve lived in California for four months and never been to the beach?”

“I’ve gone to see the ocean but never been on the sand.”

Together, they went sledding on a rented toboggan, Jim steering them directly into drifts, just to dump Bones into the snow. They thawed out over lunch in front of a roaring fire and indulged in an afternoon snowball fight with both claiming victory forever after. Near sunset, they built a snowman. Jim provided a top hat, scarf, and carrot from his backpack. He snapped a holograph of both of them in front of their snow buddy, the snow around them glowing indigo in the twilight, before they left for the shuttle.

As they hiked back to the shuttle, Bones threw an arm around Jim’s shoulders. “Thanks, kid. When it warms up, I’ll take you to the beach.”

“Only if we can build a sandcastle.”

“You got it, kid.”


	8. Day Eight: Sandcastles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bones remembers their first trip to the beach...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just occurred to me that this isn't very Christmas-y. It's the companion piece to yesterday's snow. Hope you all will have happy feels anyway!

When they retired to their Georgia farm, Bones somehow got stuck with the task of decluttering while Jim penned his memoirs. As far as Bones could tell, “penning one’s memoirs” consisted of staring into space, typing for three minutes, and then taking a refreshing nap. But, as it kept Jim busy and out of his hair, Bones didn’t complain. Much more than usual anyway. 

When he was looking for the Christmas decorations, Bones found the holo-pictures stuffed in a box of Jim’s Academy memorabilia. Thinking it might assist his husband with his memoir, Bones flipped through them. He stopped at a rather misshapen sandcastle. He remembered the day it was taken…

Their first summer at the Academy, Bones snagged a research grant and Jim stayed to finish an independent study so he could graduate in three years. Not only did this mean that they had the run of the Academy practically to themselves, they also had considerably more free time than they usually did. One weekend, he and Jim borrowed a friend’s motorbike and headed down to Santa Cruz, so that Bones could introduce Jim to the delights of the beach the way Jim had introduced him to snow. 

Bones could only now recall fragments of their day at the beach, the memories overlapping with their Hawaiian honeymoons, their frequent jaunts to the amethyst beaches of Risa, and their many returns to both Half-Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. He remembered eating fried clams—or had they had corn dogs that day? Hard to recall now, over 50 years later. He remembered wading in the surf with Jim, refusing to go in much past his toes as his daredevil roommate paddled in the surf, teasing him. Bones remembered how shockingly cold the water seemed in comparison to Georgian beaches. He laughingly thought of Jim’s insistence that Bones knew how to build a sandcastle. Like a fool, despite not having any tools to do so with, Bones did his best to create one and how it was all worth it when Jim beamed with pride over their lopsided effort, taking the shot that Bones now held. 

He dug through the box some more, finding a crinkled strip of old-time photo booth pictures at the bottom. He’d discouraged Jim from ponying up the credits for the shots as they’d been pricey, especially on a cadet stipend. Jim insisted and now Bones chuckled at the goofy shots, until he got to the last one. Jim made a ridiculous duck face at the camera—Bones recognized his patented smolder—and the camera caught Bones staring at him. 

Now, the sight of so much naked longing on his face surprised Bones. Had he been so far gone even then? Just after their first year? He glanced back at the sandcastle photo with a smile. Yep, he’d been head over heels for his crazy roommate and denying it with every breath. He carried the photos to his husband’s study, peeking in to find Jim with his feet up and his head back. 

“I’m not sleeping.” Jim said, without bothering to open his eyes.

“Look at these.” Bones crossed the room and pressed the holographs into Jim’s hand. 

“I remember that sandcastle. Awww. Bones, look how much I loved you, even then.” Jim tapped the second frame of the photo strip and Bones put his glasses back on to peer at it. In that one, Bones mugged for the camera and Jim stared at him, wonder in his eyes. Wordlessly, Bones pointed to the last one and Jim smiled. They twined their hands together, wedding rings clinking softly, as Bones leaned down to press a kiss to Jim’s mouth.


	9. Day Nine: Christmas Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones look at Christmas lights...

“Did you all ever drive around and look at Christmas lights?” Bones asked. Both Bones and Jim faced one more final exam tomorrow and neither felt like studying for it.

“Sometimes. I think Riverside was more rural than…”

“Marietta. Yeah, it’s pretty suburban. My parents lived in the same neighborhood since before I was born. It’s like a small town. Everyone knows everyone. And everyone goes all out for Christmas.” Bones sounded nearly wistful about it.

“We could go walk around the neighborhoods here for a bit. Check out the lights. It might clear our heads. I don’t know about you but I cannot focus on studying any more.”

Bones agreed and they spent the twilight and early evening walking around, enjoying the holiday displays. San Francisco in winter was usually cold, foggy, and generally miserable but that evening was unseasonably warm, clear, and balmy. Jim glanced up to see the stars peek through the velvety night when a sickening crunch and high, thin scream pierced the night air. 

Disoriented, Jim glanced around. Bones already ran towards a girl laying crumpled in the intersection. She looked dusky to Jim in the gathering dark and it wasn’t until he got close that he realized she was Andorian. Bones knelt next to her, assessing her vitals. He glanced up at Jim.

“Call the rescue squad. Tell them low speed impact, Andorian female, looks to be about 18. Possible leg fractures and internal bleeding.”

With shaking hands, Jim flipped open his communicator and babbled the information Bones spit out. He gave the dispatcher their location and then dropped to his knees next to Bones. 

“What else do you need me to do?” 

“Keep people back.” 

As Jim stood, the Andorian girl stirred under Bones competent hands. “I’m Doctor McCoy. Can you tell me your name?” Bones spoke in a gentle, soothing voice, quite unlike his usual gruff, grumpy tones. “Yes, I know it hurts. Hear the sirens? They are coming to help you.”

The ambulance pulled up to the scene and the medics hopped out. “McCoy!”

“Hey, Rashi. Malia.” Bones nodded and Jim realized that, of course, Bones would know them from his shifts at the medbay. “She got hit by that cab over there. Going about 25. Possible fractured hip. May have internal damage. She’s moving her arms well and is responsive.” As Bones spoke, he assisted the medics to place the girl on the stretcher and inserted an IV. After he boarded the ambulance, he turned to Jim. “Jim, stay and give the accident report. Tell the cops where to find me. I need to go with her for treatment.”

Jim nodded and the ambulance sped away. He spoke to the cops and then walked home. Though he’d known Bones was a doctor—he was fond of reminding everyone—and he’d even been a patient himself several times, tonight was the first time he’d seen Bones go into full, competent doctor mode. He was amazing, so gentle and assured. Jim glanced back up at the stars and a thought hit him out of the blue: When I’m Captain, Bones will be my CMO. 

The instant the thought came to him, Jim felt a sense of peace, of rightness. Of course, that was how it was supposed to be. Jim would be the Captain. Bones would be his equal, his Chief Medical Officer. Together, they would sail the stars. And, somehow, Jim knew they’d have the Enterprise someday. From the moment he’d seen her in Riverside, she was his. Much like Bones had been his from the first moment on the shuttle. 

Much later, Bones returned to the dorm, dressed in clean blue scrubs, his hair still damp from his post-op shower. When the door swished open, Jim sat up in bed, where he hadn’t been able to sleep.

“How is she?”

“Took five hours of surgery to repair her hip. She’ll have months of PT. But, I think she’ll walk again.”

“Course she will. She had you as her doctor.” Bones grunted and flopped onto his bed, too tired to change clothes. When he started snoring softly, Jim rose from his bunk. He removed Bones’ shoes and tossed a blanket over his friend. He patted his shoulder and said, “Rest up, Mr. CMO.”


	10. Day Ten: Santa Photos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim finds a Santa Bones photo...

By the Christmas of their third year at the Academy, Jim desperately wanted to know more about the woman Bones had married, seething with a mix of curiosity and jealousy. Based on an off-hand comment that Bones made, Jim learned Pamela was a holographer—one of the top ones in Georgia. Jim wanted to know what she looked like so, one day when Bones was working a double at medbay, Jim searched for information about her. He found her business site and spent a considerable amount of time clicking around on it.

Though he had to admit she was lovely, she didn’t look a thing like him. She was brunette, willowy, with dark eyes. Jim wasn’t sure if that made his jealousy better or worse. While he was there, he poked around, looking at her work. Bones wasn’t exaggerating. The lovely Ms. Branch was talented, especially good at capturing kids on holofilm. He clicked on the “Men of Peachtree General 2250 Calendar” link and felt his jaw drop. He blinked at it several times, sure he was hallucinating from the stress of exams, even rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

A 23 year old Bones—titled as “Leo, med student”— reclined on a luxurious white fur throw, backed by a sparkling Christmas tree and roaring fire. In the photo, Bones was much younger, with less lines on his face, longer, shaggier hair and a knowing smirk flirting with his lips. He wore red briefs, with a black waistband and a tiny little square gold buckle in the center, a santa hat set jauntily on his hair, and nothing else. He hoped Bones hadn’t injured himself, wearing silk pants that tight. They left nothing about the rigid length underneath to the imagination. The photos was so high-def, that Jim could clearly see…well, everything. 

Absolutely everything. 

He swallowed, glancing nervously at the door. Bones wasn’t due back for hours but he could honestly not imagine explaining seeing this to him. There was no rational cover story for how Jim found these incredibly hot pictures that didn’t involve admitting feelings that Jim was pretty sure Bones wasn’t ready to hear about. Quickly, he downloaded the holographs and saved them to his personal PADD. He told himself that he did it for the blackmail potential but he knew he’d be basing many a personal fantasy on these shots for years to come.

Along with the large photo that had just imprinted itself on his memory permanently, three smaller accent photos accompanied the centerfold. In the top photo, Bones peeked over his shoulder, his muscled back bare, tugging the waistband of the tight Santa briefs down to show his dimples of Venus at the base of his back. If Jim thought the front of the pants were tight, it was nothing to how snug they were in the back. They molded to Bones perfect round bottom. 

In the middle photo, Bones dangled a spring of mistletoe over his head, his luscious mouth puckered in a clear invitation. In close-up, his eyes became a kaleidoscope of colors—honey, amber, forest, leaf, even flecks of cobalt and ebony. Mesmerized, Jim stared at the photo, far longer than necessary, his heart pounding in his chest.

But the final photo was the most devastating of all. Because in that photo, Bones smiled, complete with dimples. He tucked his chin down, his long lashes hiding his eyes, and a blush staining his cheeks, like the photographer had just suggested something naughty. This was Bones before his life had been destroyed, before his father’s death, his wife’s infidelity, his shattered marriage. This was Bones before life had beaten him down into the cynical, snarky man that Jim knew. 

Jim knew that Bones hid a heart of gold under that grouchy exterior, knew that his best friend was a good man. He’d seen him be kind and gentle with his patients (that weren’t Damnit, Jim! Kirk). That kind, compassionate doctor shone through the shattered man, even on the worst days. He was Jim’s best friend, by far the most important person in Jim’s life.

But this Bones, this smiling, happy, carefree man, was nothing short of devastating. Just like Jim, Bones would never completely heal the wounds of his past. But, Jim wondered, was it possible that Bones could love like that again? 

Jim had to hope so. Because Jim was just that hopelessly in love with Bones.


	11. Day Eleven: Outdoor illumination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim channels Clark Griswold...

On their first Christmas at home, after their first five year mission ended, Bones made the extremely unwise choice to leave Jim unsupervised. He and Nyota went to town for a day of Christmas shopping, a long lunch, and a cozy gossip. They left Spock and Jim at the farmhouse with instructions to decorate.

When they returned, every single square inch of the farmhouse and surrounding trees were covered in Christmas lights. Ten strings of green lights cascaded from the roof to form a christmas tree, with an enormous blinking star perched right above their bedroom window. Merrily blinking multi-colored lights outlined each window with a lit wreath in the center. Strands of pure white lights lined each clapboard on the front of the house. Icicle lights draped from the gutters. On the roof, strands of lights spelled out Merry Christmas. 

A trio of merry snowman stood in one corner of the yard, facing off against a lit flock of deer across from them. Flashing, light up candy canes lined the flagstone path to the house and two life-sized nutcrackers guarded the front door. More strands of lights festooned the bushes and foliage in front of the house. Each slat of the white picket fence bore a strand of different colored lights, creating a rainbow effect. 

As Bones watched, Jim crawled over the rooftop, followed by Spock, who—Bones rubbed his eyes at this—wore a Santa hat. They took positions on either side of the fully lit chimney. 

“Okay, Scotty! Ready for launch.” 

A fully lit sleigh, festooned with presents and a merrily waving Santa Claus, pulled by a full contingent of sparkling reindeer whizzed overhead on a cunningly designed zip line. They landed on the roof to a musical flourish, complete with hoofbeats. Wide-eyed, Bones glanced around to see Scotty standing behind them and then noticed Chekov and Sulu near the still unlit snowmen. Uhura giggled into her mittened hand. 

“James Tiberius, what on earth have you done to my house?” Bones called.

“I like how it’s your house now, Leonard Horatio! You gave it to me last Christmas!” Jim laughed. “I told the boys here how much you liked Christmas lights and…”

“Things might have gotten a wee bit out of hand.” Scotty said from behind him. 

“Just a bit.” Bones managed faintly. “I think it can be seen from space.”

“Between you and me, Doc, I think that’s what Captain Perfect Hair wanted.” Scotty said, sotto voice.

“The Keptin said he wanted it to be a memorable Christmas for you.” A rosy cheeked Chekov chimed in as he finished rigging the lights for the snow family with Sulu.

“He certainly achieved that goal.” Uhura said as they all trooped into the house to enjoy a pot of the Kirk family’s five alarm chili. And that was how a new tradition was born.


	12. Day Twelve: Believe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What does it take to make Jim believe?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I mentioned in the original posting, I am heading out of town today and will not have internet access again until the 16th. I am posting the next four entries now. Daily posting will resume on the 16th. I will also respond to all comments upon my return. 
> 
> Thank you all very much for the feedback, kudos, and comments. I really love hearing from you all!

In general, none of the Enterprise crew relished their notoriety after their success against the Narada. They returned to Earth as conquering heroes. As such, they put aside their own grief over the deaths of their classmates and friends to become Starfleet’s latest poster children. 

For Jim Kirk, the Kelvin baby, it was an especially horrendous experience. The tabloids talked to everyone they’d ever known. They were especially adept at finding old photographs of the Narada heroes. While Jim detested nearly everything around the publicity, he loved seeing the childhood photos of the Enterprise crew that the tabloids kept publishing every twenty minutes for weeks.

He loved Uhura’s gap toothed third grade grin.

Scotty looked adorable lying naked on his tummy on his family plaid at six months old.

From the tabloids, he learned that Sulu led his high school chess club. Checkov was an adorably gawky tween in a leather jacket in an ill-conceived rebel phase. Infant Spock was just as serious as his current self, solemnly gazing out at the world from the circle of his lovely mother’s arms. Jim treasured the picture of baby Bones on his tricycle, scowling at the photographer with all the dignity a three year old can muster.

His absolute favorites were the crew’s Santa photos. Several of the crew were frightened of the big guy in red when they were young. A red faced, furious three year old Bones looked like he was going to slug Santa while his sister cowered behind him. A glum looking six year old Sulu could only be persuaded to high-five Santa. But in most of them, he loved seeing the childlike wonder and glee in their eyes as they made their annual visit to Santa. They each looked so happy and hopeful, truly believing in the power of the man in the red suit to make all their dreams come true. 

There would never be a Santa picture of the Kelvin baby in the press because no one had ever bothered to take Jim to see him. But, Jim knew that he wore an identical expression of hope, joy, and wonder when he looked at his beautiful ship.

And saw the family he’d created for himself on it.

And saw his future in his beloved’s forest green eyes.

That was when Jim Kirk really, truly believed.


	13. Day Thirteen: Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bones does some holiday baking...

On their first Christmas at their farmhouse home, Jim returned from a trip to town to finish his Christmas shopping. The second he opened the door the rich scent of holiday baking wafted through the air toward him. He wandered into the kitchen to find his handsome doctor husband dressed in a red apron, tossing sprinkles on frosted sugar cookies. A small smear of blue icing marred one eyebrow and flour dusted the spiky tufts of his dark hair. 

“You cook?” Jim felt this was a fair question as he’d been cooking for the past decade whenever something more challenging than boiling water was required.

“I bake.”

“Same thing.”

“It is not. Baking requires precision and skill, like surgery. Cooking not so much.”

“Well, I think you’re precisely burning whatever that is in the oven.” Jim gestured at the smoke pouring out of their stove. With a curse, Bones snatched on thick oven mitts to yank a tray of charred cookies out of the oven. 

“Damn. Those were my Amish Friendship Cookies too.” Bones said, sadly, heading to the back deck to place the tray outside to cool. In his absence, Jim glanced around the kitchen. In addition to the sugar cookies, Jim spotted gingerbread men ready for decorating and a large batch of chocolate chip cookies. Dishes rose in a mountain out of the sink and a pile of shattered eggshells lay still oozing on the counter. Had Bones used every bowl they had in the house? Jim also wasn’t sure where he’d gotten some of the kitchen implements. Perhaps he’d borrowed from the neighbors. Bones strode back in, letting the screen door bang and making Jasper bark.

“What caused all this?” Jim gestured around their large and airy kitchen, now a disaster area. 

“Just it’s our first Christmas at home and I wanted…” Bones shrugged.

“It to be special.” Jim finished for him. He shrugged out of his jacket and donned his own navy blue apron. “Okay then. Let’s bake.”


	14. Day Fourteen: Lonely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's on his own for Christmas...

When Bones left to head up a team of doctors without borders to Settba, Jim played the part of supportive spouse very well. He didn’t even mention to Bones that joining the medical delegation meant he’d be gone for Christmas. After all, Jim had spent Christmas on his own before—twice he’d spent Christmas in the Riverside jail. The fact that he hadn’t spent Christmas alone in thirty years was irrelevant. His beloved was a doctor, he’d taken an oath to heal, he was needed and had to go. As Spock would tell Jim, the needs of the many and all that…

So, Jim kept a smile on his face as he waved Bones off on the shuttle during the first week of December and went back to teaching his Academy classes. What with teaching and meetings and the December hustle and bustle of the campus, he didn’t even miss Bones all that much. Just every five minutes or so, instead of every one.

On Christmas Eve, he decorated their tiny tree, placing the salt shaker starship tree topper just so. He drank a tumbler of bourbon while listening to Christmas music in his favorite easy chair. He fell asleep sitting there, still hoping Bones might at least call. 

On Christmas morning, he awoke and ignored the wrapped presents under the tree. He went for a leisurely jog and then graded papers on his PADD until early afternoon. His grumbling stomach reminded him that he hadn’t bothered to plan anything for Christmas lunch so he wandered over to the mess hall. He sat with a group of his students, regaling them with war stories and some (heavily edited) tales of his adventures before the Academy. 

“Sure seems like Doctor McCoy features in a lot of your adventures.” One of the cadets—Lisa, he thought her name was—remarked. 

“He saved my life so often I had to marry him.” Jim joked. “Even if he does desert me on Christmas.”

“That seat taken?”

Jim whirled around at the sound of that slow, southern drawl. Bones stood behind him, holding two pieces of pie—apple for Jim and chocolate for Bones. Even unshaven, travel weary, and exhausted, Bones was still the most gorgeous man he’d ever seen. Jim’s heart raced to see him and he felt the smile crinkle his cheeks. He patted the seat next to him and Bones sat down, dropping a quick kiss on Jim’s cheek.

“Welcome home, Bonesy.”

“Missed you too, darlin.’ Merry Christmas.”


	15. Day Fifteen: Winter Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Scotty's help, Bones cheers Jim up...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great weekend everyone! See you on Monday!

“Have ye noticed that our Captain seems a bit down?” Scotty sidled up to Bones at the officer’s holiday brunch. 

Bones stood sipping watery eggnog and keeping an eye on Jim. He sat at the head of the table, a Santa hat wilting on his head. Bones never expected for Jim to get homesick in space. But, the fourth Christmas of their five year mission, there was no other word for his husband’s mood other than mopey. He bored the ensigns with lengthy reminiscences of Christmas in Iowa and sighed deeply whenever anyone mentioned a roaring fire or snow or, God forbid, a Christmas tree. 

“He is the glummest Santa I’ve ever seen.” Uhura piped up from beside Scotty. 

“He needs a week of shore leave but, after our little encounter with the Romulans last month, I don’t suppose any of us will be getting that from Santa.” Bones answered. “When I ask, he says he misses Iowa, which is odd as he’s never missed it before.”

“Well, now, that gives me an idea for the Captains Christmas gift.” Scotty said. 

So that was how, on Christmas Eve, Jim walked into their quarters and found a winter wonderland, with snow covered trees, gently falling snow, and even a full size snowman. A glittering tree festooned with multi-colored lights stood in the center. As Jim watched, Bones strode out from behind it, dressed in a scarf, jacket, and ridiculous tartan beanie. He tossed a snowball hand to hand. Jim rubbed his eyes and then glanced around the room. 

“Bones, I think I’m hallucinating.” 

In response, Bones tossed the snowball at him, hitting him square in the chest. When Jim felt the rush of cold air over his face but no impact, he understood. “A holodeck!”

“Scotty rigged it up for us. Almost as good as shore leave.”

Jim crunched across the snow towards Bones. “I have to be back on shift in six hours.”

“Nope. That’s your present from the crew. You’re off until the day after Christmas.” When Jim started to protest, he held up a hand. “They wanted to, since you’ve been such a mope. They all swapped shifts and are covering it. They can comm us if something happens. Until then, you’re all mine.”

Bones pulled him close, cuddling him, and sighed when Jim relaxed against him, resting his head on his shoulder.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Music on!” Bones called and the strains of “Winter Wonderland” piped into the room.

“What else did Scotty program in this thing?” Jim asked, before pulling Bones close for a kiss.


	16. Day Sixteen: Bells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones watch an old holiday movie...

By their second Christmas at the Academy, Jim and Bones had already developed their own traditions. After the dorm cleared out, they just spent a week relaxing together, only changing out of pajamas for food runs. They slept, read, watched movies together, chatted, played cards and board games. They both needed the rest and relaxation to rejuvenate from their grueling Academy schedule. In the middle of the week, it was Jim’s turn to pick the movie.

“How about It’s A Wonderful Life?”

“I’ve never seen it.”

“Bones, seriously? What kind of deprived childhood did you have on the plantation?” Jim asked, programming the holovid. “We watched it every year.”

Bones rolled his eyes and prepared to ignore the film. Jim’s picks were always dreadful. However, when Jim fell asleep against his side, no doubt from sheer exhaustion at taking the most courses ever attempted in a single semester, Bones didn’t have the heart to move him. So, stuck on the sofa, pinned under the warm, comforting weight of his best friend, he got sucked in to the old story. 

Bones felt a deep, uncomfortable kinship with George Bailey. For most of his first three semesters at the Academy, he’d felt mighty sorry for himself and the misfortunes that fate had heaped on him. And, in fairness, he thought to himself, he did endure a lot of hard knocks on the way here.

But Franklin and Joseph must have been looking out for him when they sent him Jim, his own personal Clarence. He’d taken that broken down drunken mess of a man from the shuttle and re-christened him with that stupid nickname. Jim helped him conquer his fear of flying so that he might actually have a future in the stars. Just by being there, he kept him out of the bottle and focused on his classes. To Bones mind, Jim was definitely his guardian angel, though he would rather face a squad of angry Klingons than tell him that.

The next day, he did the food run and, upon his return, dropped a small parcel on Jim’s lap. Jim unwrapped it and looked at it, puzzled.

“You got me a bell?”

“It’s your ornament this year.” 

“My ornament?”

“Yeah. To put on our tree.” Bones gestured at the tree covered in his childhood ornaments and topped by Jim’s salt shaker starship. Jim carefully added the bell to the tree and rang it gently.

“So you liked the movie, huh?”

“Still think it was dumb. What kind of idiot names their kid Zuzu?”


	17. Day Seventeen: Candy Cane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim watches Bones enjoy a candy cane...

By their third Christmas at the Academy, Jim had grown accustomed to coping with the lust he felt for Bones. The fact that he desperately wanted to sleep with his very heterosexual best friend was Jim’s problem. After all, it wasn’t Bones’ fault he was so hot and sexy and smart and…totally unobtainable. Jim kept himself busy. He worked out a lot. He studied. He took many cold showers. In general, he kept things well in hand. 

Until the day that Bones brought home a candy cane. 

Bones sat on the sofa, still dressed in his medical scrubs, knees bent to prop up his PADD, feet resting on the coffee table. Jim sat at his desk, only the thin metal desktop separating them. As he studied, Bones idly ran the candy cane over his perfect pink tongue. Jim swallowed and tried to focus on his xenolinguistics notes before he remembered he’d already taken that exam this morning. 

He flipped to another class, keeping his eyes glued to the screen, even as the delicious scent of peppermint wafted over to him. He heard Bones suck the end of the candy cane into his mouth and willed himself not to look. Jim peeked. Bones’ perfect cupid bow mouth wrapped around the stick as he absentmindedly slid the candy cane in and out, dragging it over his full lower lip. Jim watched mesmerized, failing to pull his eyes away, yanking at the too tight collar of his cadet reds.

Bones glanced up at him and popped the candy cane out of his mouth. “You look a bit flushed. You don’t have a fever, do you?”

Jim shook his head, having lost the power of speech all together. He shifted in his chair, grateful that his desk hid the evidence of his now too tight uniform pants. The candy cane stained Bones’ luscious lips red and the sticky sugar made them glossy in the dim light of the dorm room. His eyes met Bones and Jim wondered—for approximately the ten millionth time--- if he imagined the incredible pull between them. He leaned towards Bones, frustrated at the desk separating them, desperate to capture the temptation of Bones’ cherry red mouth and…

Bones’ comm trilled. Jim sank back into his seat and tried not to whimper. 

“It’s the medbay. We’re getting more of those flu cases in. I gotta go back. If you feel fevered, come on over.” Bones wrapped himself in his coat and scarf before heading back out, candy cane still perched between his lips.

Jim headed for yet another cold shower and the inadequate comfort of his own hand.


	18. Day Eighteen: Stockings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones surprise each other with personalized stockings...

On Christmas Eve, just before midnight, Bones crept out of bed to hang their stockings on the mantel in their new farmhouse. He’d found the perfect one for Jim made of quilted ebony velvet with a shiny silver starship appliqué at the center. He’d gotten it embroidered with “Captain” in scarlet thread. After secreting Jim’s big present in the toe, he filled it with tons of trinkets and hung it on the hook he’d placed there earlier. Before tiptoeing back upstairs, he flipped on a hidden switch to make lights flash like stars around the ship. 

The next morning, after they’d unwrapped all their presents, Jim leaned over and pressed a kiss to Bones cheek. “Stockings before or after breakfast?”

Since Bones was so nervous about the big present hidden in Jim’s stocking, he knew he wouldn’t be able to choke down a bite of breakfast. “Stockings first!”

“I love mine, Bones.” Jim smiled at the starship, surrounded by flashing stars and handed Bones his stocking he’d kept hidden behind the couch. Jim had replaced his generic snowman stocking with a medical themed one. Embroidered with “Bones” in green thread, it boasted a stethoscope, caduceus, and a hypospray appliqué on the toe, surrounded by tiny embroidered bones. 

“Wow, Jim. I love it!” Bones said. They sat opposite each other, pulling out their stocking stuffers—just little gifts to make each other smile. Bones watched as Jim reached the bottom of his stocking, crushing the medical appliqués on his stocking in his sweaty hand. 

“My gram always put an orange in the toe for us.” Jim said, pulling out a small velvet box.

“Santa must have been fresh out of oranges.” Bones rasped as Jim flipped open the box to find a duranium band. He smiled brilliantly at Bones and then laughed. “Have to admit, darlin.’ Laughter was not the answer I was hoping for.”

Jim leaned over and took the medical themed stocking out of Bones’ slack grip. He flipped it over and shook it out, until a matching black box tumbled into Bones’ lap. With shaking fingers, Jim reached for the box and opened it, revealing a nearly identical band to the one he held in his hand.

“I think Santa had the same idea, Bones.” Jim whispered before leaning over to steal a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to the memory-alpha wiki, the hull of the Enterprise was made of duranium so I figured they could have that for their wedding rings.


	19. Day Nineteen: Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our boys share a holiday breakfast...

“But we were going to have cinnamon rolls and watch movies.” Jim said, sadly, when Bones told him he’d gotten stuck with a double shift on Christmas, on their first Christmas after Bones raised Jim from the dead. Jim looked very woebegone sitting on the sofa, in the plush apartment that Starfleet provided to conquering heroes, blankets up to his chin, and a Santa hat drooping on his golden hair. 

“You can still do that. And I’ll be off the rest of the week to New Year’s Eve.” Bones said, feeling like the Grinch. “Believe it or not, people get sick on Christmas too. Just the same as every other day.”

Jim nodded but still looked pouty. “I’m sorry, Jim. Most of the other doctors have little ones. They want to be there for Santa and all.”

“It’s okay, Bones.” Bones knew it wasn’t okay but also that it was the medical powers way of making him pay for saving Jim by bending medical ethics to the breaking point. He’d work every Christmas for the rest of his life, if he had to, so long as he could come home to a healthy Jim at the end of it.

At sunrise on Christmas morning, Kelly, one of Bones’ favorite nurses, woke him up by saying, “Doctor McCoy, you have a visitor. He’s a mighty handsome Santa.” 

Blearily, Bones followed her to the staff lounge. She turned and said with a wink, “Makes me want to be naughty, if you know what I mean.”

Bones opened the door to find Jim sitting at the staff table, bundled in a red checked jacket that Bones recognized as his own. Still too thin, nearly frail, Jim wasn’t supposed to be out of the apartment but rosy color bloomed in his cheeks and his eyes were shining. Bones didn’t have the heart to lecture him as Jim caught sight of him and gave him a beaming smile. 

“Here, I brought you breakfast.” Jim poured out a cup of hot chocolate and carefully set an unwrapped candy cane in it, just the way he’d told Jim his mama had always made it on Christmas morning. Then he uncovered a piping hot cinnamon roll, drizzled with gooey icing, and handed the plate to Bones.

“What’s all this?”

“You’d told me about your favorite holiday breakfast. It was supposed to be breakfast in bed but…” Jim shrugged, shooting him that half-grin Bones loved so much. “I knew you wouldn’t stop to eat on a double shift.” 

“I missed you too, kid.” 

“Merry Christmas, Bones.”


	20. Day Twenty: The Christmas Waltz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones travel to Savannah during the holidays...

They spent Christmas 2271 in Savannah, Georgia for Bones’ niece, Joanie’s wedding. Jim accepted their invitation, overriding Bones’ arguments, and they ended up in a lovely little B&B on Jones Street. 

“I don’t know why you dragged me here. My mother will up and die when she sees me and then I’ll have ruined Joanie’s wedding and then none of my family will ever talk to me again.”

“Got all your grumbles out?” Jim asked as they strode down the cobblestone street. Bones glared at him. “I’ve never been to Savannah. And Joanie loves me.”

That much was true. Joanie, the daughter of Bones’ younger sister, Molly, did adore both Jim and Bones. After the Narada, Molly had contacted Bones. After a few awkward moments, and helped along by Jim, the siblings struck up a tentative friendship that blossomed over the years. Her daughter, young at the time of the Narada incident, adored both her uncles. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Bones’ mother and older sister. Neither had spoken to Bones since his father’s death. 

They walked the streets of Savannah. Jim dragged him on every historical tour possible until Bones could quote tidbits and funny facts at him. They got into Savannah’s first speakeasy—the Mata Hari—and danced to Frank Sinatra and drank absinthe all night long. Bones had to admit he was having a pretty good time, even if he did still dread coming face to face with his mother for the first time in 15 years. 

The night of the wedding, they donned their dress uniforms, both now wearing the rank of admiral. Bones, looking decidedly queasy, followed Jim to the candlelit church. They stood in the back, though the matrons of Savannah eyed them with interest from under their enormous hats. At the reception, Jim turned from the bar and came face to face with his mother-in-law for the first time. Jim Kirk had faced down Klingons, Romulans, and all manner of space oddities but he quaked in his boots before Loretta McCoy.

“I believe you are my son-in-law, though we have not yet been formally introduced.” Though she was a petite woman, a good foot shorter than her son, she reminded him of a rather powerful dragon. He thought she might even be breathing fire.

“Jim Kirk.” He smiled at her, his best charming smile. It didn’t work. She glared at him, with eyes very like her son and a scowl to match.

“Mother. Don’t terrify the boy.” Molly came to his aid with a wink. “Besides, you must know that glaring at him won’t work if he’s married to Leo.” 

“Aren’t you going to ask me to dance?” The dragon barked. Jim fumbled their drinks into Molly’s hands and led Loretta on to the floor. “I can see you didn’t have the benefit of cotillion, like Leonard.”

“No, ma’m.” Jim squeaked, as she steered him around the floor.

“Molly and Joanie speak highly of you.”

“That’s kind.”

“Hardly. You can see what kind of a bird-wit Joanie is for marrying the groom.” Jim bit his lip so he wouldn’t laugh. “Still, you are handsome. Thought so when I saw you on the holo-vids. Must be smart too. Leonard doesn’t suffer fools. You planning on draggin’ my fool son back up in the stars with you?”

“We are in Starfleet, ma’m.” Jim answered, diplomatically.

“That means yes. My son is a damn fine doctor.”

“Yes, he’s my Chief Medical Officer.”

“I know that. I watch the news.” She glared at Jim, assessing. Jim stared back, uncowed. She smiled at him then and Jim was truly terrified. “You’re a good match for that boy.”

Just then, Bones appeared at their side. Jim had never been so glad to see him in all his life. “May I cut in?”

Jim knew that Bones had meant to dance with him but his mother stepped in front of Jim cleverly forcing Bones to dance with her instead. Wide-eyed, Jim watched as Bones expertly swept his mother into a waltz. In seconds, Joanie and Molly were at his side. 

“Oh dear.” Molly worried her bottom lip as they watched Bones and Loretta exchange thunderous glances at each other, lips tightly compressed, not exchanging a word. They swirled around the room, easily the best dancers on the floor. Soon other couples made way for them and then they were the only remaining couple on the floor. Jim watched his handsome husband dance so expertly. He wondered when this gorgeous man would ever stop surprising him. 

The song ended. Bones bowed formally to his mother, still not having said a word. Jim could see where Bones got his stubborn streak from his mama because she didn’t say a word either. He glanced up, looking for Jim, ready to walk away from his mother yet again. Even from across the room, Jim could see the tight set of his jaw and knew the emotional pain his beloved suffered. Jim started across the dance floor toward him when Loretta stopped Bones with a hand on his arm.

Loretta cradled Bones’ face in her palms and stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. After a few shocked seconds, in which no one in the room seemed to even breathe, Bones wrapped his arms around his mama and she hugged him back. “Love you, baby.” Jim heard her say. 

“That’s a Christmas miracle right there.” Joanie said as she and her new husband passed Jim to take the floor. 

The next day, on their way out of town, Jim bought a small conical tabletop Christmas tree, decorated with broken pieces of shells and sea glass, topped with a perfect starfish. 

“What’d you want that for?” Bones asked.

“It reminds me how beautiful broken things can be.”


	21. Day Twenty-One (A): Music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are two stories today. The first one is a bit silly and lighthearted, in keeping with the tone of the Advent calendar. 
> 
> The second one is sweet but very angsty. It includes not one but two major character deaths. I think it has an uplifting, happy ending. My beta reader thinks I’m ruining everyone’s Christmas and giving you all a sad. 
> 
> So you get to decide. You can read the first one and ignore the second or read them both.

Until Bones turned 36, his birthday got commemorated just like everyone else—some cake, a few presents, and a chorus or two of Happy Birthday. Then, for his 36th birthday, Jim got stuck in some difficult peace negotiations on Settba between the Deeps and Omegas. He knew Jim would make it up to him later so he was surprised to get the comm from Jim requesting that he beam down to Settba immediately. Grabbing his medikit and Jim’s allergy bag, he dashed to the transporter room to be beamed planet side.

“Okay, who’s hurt?” Bones said, the second the transporter beams released him, on the wide, rocky Settban beach.

“No one.” Jim greeted him with a hug and quick kiss. “Just play along, ok?”

“Don’t I always?”

Jim didn’t answer and instead swung back toward…Bones didn’t know what that thing was. He possessed multiple advanced degrees in xenobiology and the best he could come up with was octopus, if octopi walked upright, possessed four mouths, and were eye-wateringly pink. 

“My husband, Bones—I mean, Doctor Leonard McCoy.” The Federation translator badge on Jim’s chest squawked. “He turns 36 Terran years today.”

“They wish to honor you with a musical concert.” Spock informed Bones. Bones would swear the hobgoblin was smirking at him.

Bones crossed his arms over his chest. “Terrific.” 

“My husband is most honored.” JIm glared at him. 

“I’m not your husband.” Bones hissed to him. 

“Close enough. They don’t get distinctions like that. Just go with it!” They were led to seats in a nearby amphitheater, Bones seated between Spock and Jim. 

“You dragged me out of sickbay for this? I’m a doctor, Jim. I’m busy!” 

“Just hush. We’re at a crucial moment. I mentioned that I wanted to get back to the ship to see you for your birthday and…”

It turned out that the octopi —an aquatic species previously unknown to the Federation—excelled at music. Unfortunately, the only Terran music they knew was one Christmas song. Bones grimaced through their rendition of Carol of the Bells with no discernible bells. After it was over, Bones thanked them graciously. Peace was restored to Settba and a new Federation alliance created.

“You haven’t really lived until you’ve heard Carol of the Bells played by pink octopi in August. I thought they used their tentacles very creatively!” Jim said later. “Happy birthday, Bonesy!”

And, for every birthday, for the rest of his life, Jim played him Carol of the Bells. Thankfully, they didn’t have a recording of the Settban version of it.


	22. Day Twenty-One (B): Ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Includes two major character deaths and is very angsty (but with a hopeful/uplifting ending). You may want to ignore this one.

For the first five Christmases of little Leonard McCoy’s life, Jim Kirk didn’t even exist. The Christmas that Leo was six, Santa brought him a remote control hover-ambulance. Jim, not quite one, got a soft starship toy and a box of teething biscuits.

When Leo turned ten, he got a forest green hover-bike. Santa brought four year old Jim a red bike—with training wheels—that his brother, Sam, mocked relentlessly. Jim took the training wheels off and taught himself to ride his red two-wheeler. He still considered the scar on his chin to have been worth it.

The Christmas Leo was 16, he lost his virginity at Michael Basset’s Christmas Eve party to Michael’s college aged sister, Valerie. Santa didn’t need to bring him any other presents after that, though his dad did give him a jumbo sized box of condoms when his mom wasn’t looking. Ten year old Jim got mostly clothes that year. Though he didn’t know it at the time, his beloved Gram would be dead within the year so it was his last family Christmas ever.

When Leo was 22, he brought Pamela home to meet his parents and sisters at Christmas. His sisters helped him shop for the engagement ring he’d present to Pamela on New Year’s Eve—assuming she met with David and Loretta’s approval. That year, 16 year old Jim celebrated Christmas, drunk, in the Riverside jail. It was better than being at home, alone, with the ghost of his brother, the shell of his mother, and his stepfather’s fists.

When he was 25, Leo and Pamela celebrated alone. She’d been an only child, an orphan when they met, and often found his family celebrations overwhelming. She wanted it to be just the two of them. Still hopelessly in love with her, Leo had agreed and missed his family every second. Looking back, Leo knew that was the start of the breakdown of their marriage. Nineteen year old Jim entertained three of Santa’s helpers in his bed that Christmas. 

Christmas of 2254 was the last Christmas they would be apart for nearly a century. By then, Leo knew his dad was dying, that there was nothing he could do to save him. He tried everything. He spent all day in the lab, desperate to create the cure that would save his father’s life. He even forgot to buy Pamela a Christmas gift. That night, after the family dinner that Pamela didn’t attend, David sat on the front porch with his only son, both nursing bourbons, and asked him to help him die. 

Jim spent it drunk in a Riverside jail. Again.

Together, they spent 97 Christmases together, three at the Academy, some in space, some on the Enterprise, some at their farmhouse in Georgia, some in exotic travel locales. But always together. Always happy, even when they were having one of their blazing arguments. Forever and always madly in love.

Christmas of 2352, Jim, flanked by their twin great-grandsons, Horatio and Tiberius, stood in a cold Atlanta cemetery, in front of a simple tombstone. Jim laid a wreath of white and crimson Christmas roses next to a bottle of bourbon. He smiled at Horatio, patting his shoulder as he walked to the nearby visiting bench. Jim didn’t like to look at Tiberius too much now. He alone of their descendants inherited Bones forest green eyes. He strode over to the nearby bench and sat, smiling as he remembered all their Christmases together. Though it had only been three months, Jim’s chest ached with missing his beloved Bones. 

“Come on, now, Jim. Time to go.” Jim glanced up, smiling as he saw Bones, young, hale, and hearty, striding towards him. He looked much as he had the day Jim first took command of the Enterprise, handsome as always in his blue medical shirt. Bones bent down and clasped his hands. Jim stood, leaving his earthly body behind. Now, he was as young and handsome as Bones, wearing his command gold. With a last glance at their beloved great-grandsons, Jim followed Bones into their next great adventure, hand in hand.


	23. Day Twenty-Two: Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In their third year, Jim crashes the Starfleet Medical party…and finds out one of Bones' secrets.

For over a century, Starfleet Medical held the party of the year the last weekend before Christmas, immediately following the hell of finals. Only Starfleet Medical staff and students—and their guests—could attend. Everyone else just wanted to go to the hottest party in town. For two years, Jim badgered Bones to take him and he steadfastly refused. “Why would you want to hang out with a bunch of boring doctors, anyway?” 

By third year, Jim took no chances. Though Bones seemed suspicious of Jim’s lack of interest in the party, he left with a parting “don’t wait up!” and Jim got to work. He dressed in Bones’ blue scrubs from the night before—thankfully devoid of blood as it had been a slow shift. They were a bit looser in the shoulder on him than on Bones but overall, it was a good fit. He could blend with the staff in them and he hoped that he’d been seen often enough with Bones around medbay to not get tossed out on his ear. 

He waited until the party was in full swing, near midnight, and followed a rowdy group of very drunk nurses in the door. After scooping up a drink, he wandered around searching for Bones, wanting to surprise him. He enjoyed seeing all the creative party themes the med students had come up with for each room, idly watched the card playing for a bit, and joined in a holo-game for few rounds. Still looking for Bones, he wandered into the main ballroom area and stopped dead.

Bones stood, spotlighted, on stage.

Playing a guitar.

Shirtless.

After Jim pinched himself to ensure he wasn’t having one of his very favorite naughty dreams, he walked closer to the stage, still certain his eyes were deceiving him. As Jim watched, Bones stepped up to the mike, the spotlight making his dark hair gleam. He glanced out at the crowd and, strumming away on the guitar, began to sing in a raspy baritone. His knees weakened just looking at Bones, the rock star. Who knew?

It took Jim a few moments to recognize the song, a slow, rather mournful ballad about a man begging his love to come home to him from the stars for Christmas. Jim swallowed against his suddenly dry throat as he inched closer to the stage, his gaze locked on Bones. 

Bones cradled the guitar in his arms, his long, nimble surgeons fingers picking out the notes. His dark fringe flopped into his eyes as he crooned. He had a hell of a voice. The spotlights must be hot as beads of sweat trickled over Bones sculpted chest. When the song ended, the entire crowd applauded. Bones waved and grinned before tugging off the guitar. He handed it to a long haired Andorian nurse and, grabbing his shirt, jumped off the stage. His worn jeans were so tight they would be illegal on five planets.

“Great job, Leo!” called a giggly blonde in the front row. Bones blushed and yanked his shirt over his head before sucking down some water out of a bottle. Jim could tell he desperately wanted to disappear into the crowd, no longer comfortable with the attention. Bones edged toward the back of the room and Jim followed, catching up with him in the deserted, darkened corridor outside. 

Bones leaned against the wall, his eyes closed, still sucking down water, his throat working as he swallowed it. Jim tried to ignore how his t-shirt stuck to his chest and his hair stood up in tufts where he’d run his long fingers through it. Jim ached to touch him, to feel those talented hands on him, to feel Bones lips against his skin. 

Bones opened his eyes and shook his head at Jim. “You’re gatecrashing.”

“Didn’t know you played, Bones.” 

“Only sometimes.” Bones shrugged, his voice still raspy from the exertion.

“Will you play for me? At home?”

“Don’t have a guitar anymore.”

“And you can sing too. You’re a man of many hidden talents.” Jim stepped close to Bones, crowding him against the wall. Though they weren’t touching, heat poured off Bones, scenting the air with lime and bay rum, making Jim’s head swim. They locked eyes, far too close to be platonic. Bones made no move to push him away but he also didn’t pull Jim closer. In his worst moments, Jim wondered if he imagined this incredible connection between them. He’d never suffered want before, never ached with desire, never known anyone he wanted sexually to be out of his reach. 

Just as he’d never before had so much to lose.

Bones glanced down at Jim’s lips, running the tip of his pink tongue over his own lush bottom lip, dampening it. Jim pressed forward, his mouth a scant inch from Bones, their breath mingling together. This close, Bones’ eyes turned into a kaleidoscope of colors, reminding Jim nearly painfully of the Santa photos he’d found just days before. 

Jim gave Bones plenty of time to push him away, to stop him from taking what he wanted so very desperately, to draw a line in the sand in their relationship and bound it forever as just friendship. Though he did nothing to stop him, he didn’t take any initiative either. Bones raised his eyes to Jim’s, challenging, waiting. 

Jim leaned forward, closing the distance between them, just millimeters away from pressing his lips to Bones. Just then, the emergency alarms blared and the house lights came up. With a sigh, Bones put his hands on his shoulders and gently pushed Jim away as medical staff poured into the hallway. 

“Later, Jim. I gotta go.” Bones dashed off, leaving an aching Jim behind.


	24. Day Twenty-Three: All I Want For Christmas...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bones surprises Jim...

“All I want for Christmas…” Bones started.

“…is a real good tan.” Jim responded as he flopped on the bed in their tiny San Francisco apartment. It was the end of his first semester as the head of Starfleet Academy’s Command track. When they’d taken their dirtside postings after their second five year mission ended, they’d known Jim’s new job would be exhausting. Neither of them had realized how exhausting it would be. 

As Bones also taught a full course load at Starfleet Medical, they saw each other rarely. The stress and strain was beginning to show for both of them. They tried to get home to Georgia as much as they could but it was rare for them to get time off at the same time. Some days, Bones just plain missed his husband.

Jim’s singing of the old Christmas song gave Bones an idea. Jim was usually the impulsive, spontaneous one but the next day—Christmas Eve Eve, as he and his sisters had called it as kids—Bones headed for a travel agent before going into work. Within an hour, after making a few calls and pulling in a few favors, he’d arranged Jim’s surprise gift. 

Late in the afternoon on the actual Christmas Eve, Bones crashed the Starfleet Christmas drinks party that Jim got roped into attending. He strode over to where his exhausted husband stood chatting with some mucky-muck, both of them ignoring the incredible view of the San Francisco bay. 

“Hi there, handsome.” Bones whispered in his ear. Jim gave him that lopsided grin that he loved so much as Bones took his arm. “Excuse me, need to borrow my husband for a bit.” 

“What’s up? You haven’t turned on that much southern charm in years.” Jim asked, as Bones smoothly extricated them from the party. 

“It’s simple, darlin.’ I’m kidnapping you.”

“Court-martial offense. Must be good.” Jim smiled at him as Bones guided him to the lift, divesting him of his watered down drink and uniform jacket. “Can’t even wait to get out of the building…wait! Am I getting elevator sex?”

“Better.” Bones grinned at him smugly as he guided Jim out the doors, into the foggy, cold twilight, nodding at several Starfleet bigwigs as they went. He practically shoved his husband into a hover-cab. 

“Cab sex?” Jim asked, still looking far too tired for his doctor husband’s liking but at least that mischievous light was back in his eyes.

“Shuttle port, please.” Bones directed the cabbie and then leaned back against his husband. “You behave. You’ll spoil your surprise.”

They made it to the shuttle without incident and Jim, ever resourceful, charmed a shuttle attendant into telling him the destination.

“Maui! I don’t even have a suitcase. Bones, did you pack anything?”

“Hush. I’ll buy you a toothbrush and a sunglasses. Even a bikini if you’re good.”

“What about sunblock?” 

“You can rub some oil on me. I can rub some on you.” 

Jim smiled at him then, a real, brilliant Jim smile and gave Bones a smacking kiss on the cheek. “I’m getting beach sex for Christmas!’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired but the Kenny Chesney song “All I Want for Christmas.” The oil line is also directly from the song.


	25. Day Twenty-Four: Tradition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones start a new Christmas tradition…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas Eve! Be sure to check back tomorrow for a bonus Christmas entry.

When Jim took his dirtside assignment, after their second five year mission concluded, he never anticipated the level of public relations that would be expected from him. He was handsome and the cameras loved him therefore Starfleet loved nothing more than to trot him out for a photo op. They were usually fun and got him out from behind his desk so he didn’t mind them too much. 

His beloved rarely did photo ops, probably because his default expression was a fiercely off-putting scowl. Also, he would blister the ears of anyone with the temerity to suggest that Doctor McCoy take time to do a photo op. So, when, just a few days before Christmas, Jim walked into the Starfleet Academy day care center, he was surprised to find Bones fidgeting in the festively decorated lobby.

“Good. You’re here. Let’s get this over with.” Bones greeted him.

“Are you the Grinch to my Santa?”

“Funny. I’m a doctor. I’m busy!”

“You’ve mentioned. Not that I’m not delighted to see you, of course, but why are you here?” 

“Admiral Phillips said this was a family thing. I’m your family.” 

“Yes, you are.” Jim pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek and they strode in to join the kiddies.. Jim loved playing with the kids, admiring their artwork, chatting about what they wanted from Santa. Bones gamely helped out with a gingerbread house, smiling for the clicking cameras, as Jim told the kiddies about the gingerbread farmhouse Bones had made him when he gave them their home.

After a few photos, Jim sat in a plush burgundy velvet armchair to read “The Night Before Christmas.” He read the story aloud to the not particularly interested kids. Afterwards, he joined Bones by the punchbowl. He was surprised to see the sheen of tears in Bones’ eyes.

“What is it?” Concerned, Jim laid a hand on his arm. Was being around the children upsetting Bones? They’d talked about kids in a vague future way but weren’t ready yet. At least Bones said he wasn’t but maybe…?

“Daddy used to read that to us every Christmas Eve.” Bones shrugged. “Haven’t heard it in years.”

“The story? I’d never heard it before.”

“Jim, seriously?” Bones shook his head, surprised as always by what his beloved didn’t know.

On Christmas Eve, after they’d enjoyed a dinner of grilled mahi-mahi and sat on the beach watching the Maui sunset, Jim handed Bones a flat wrapped parcel. 

“Gifts already?”

“You have to open this one tonight. You’ll see.” Bones opened a beautifully illustrated version of The Night Before Christmas. “Now, you have to read it to me.”

Jim settled himself with his head on Bones’ lap, listening as his beloved drawled out the words to the old story. Every Christmas Eve, for the rest of their lives, Bones read the story aloud to Jim. And eventually, to their own little ones. And then to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And so a new tradition started.


	26. Day Twenty-Five: Merry Christmas!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones finally get what they wanted most for Christmas...

Mid-day on Christmas of their third year at the Academy, Jim sat curled on the sofa next to Bones, as their first movie in their annual Christmas movie marathon ended. They were snuggled under a ton of blankets on the sofa, ostensibly to ward off the dormitory chill, both full and slightly sleepy from their enormous breakfasts. 

Just two nights before, they’d nearly kissed in a darkened hallway at the Starfleet Medical party. Then the medical alarms blared and Jim hadn’t seen Bones for nearly 36 hours, as he fought to save dozens injured in a hover-car and tram pile-up on the Bay Bridge. He’d come home and gone straight to sleep, only waking this morning for breakfast. 

Bones hadn’t done anything to indicate he even remembered their almost kiss. Jim desperately wanted to grab him and kiss him breathless but he wasn’t sure if Bones would kiss him back or punch him. Jim sometimes thought he would actually go insane from longing. He thought of his reputation as the Casanova of Starfleet Academy. What a joke. He couldn’t even figure out how to make a move on his best friend.

“Just think. Next year, we’ll be in the black for Christmas.” Jim said, just to have something to say.

Bones shuddered. “Don’t remind me. Wonder which ships we’ll be assigned to?”

“The Enterprise.”

“Chances are good we won’t be assigned together.”

“Anxious to be rid of me, Bonesy?” Jim asked, his heart rate picking up. He hated to think of graduating and the potential to be separated from Bones. It was his own personal Kobyashi Maru and, just like the real test, he had yet to figure out the solution.

“I’m used to you now, kid. But we don’t get to pick…” Jim placed a finger over his full lips and Bones stopped mid-word, his lips comically pursed in an imitation of a kiss. Jim flashed to the Santa photos he’d first seen just a week ago and he felt himself flush. Slowly, he raised his eyes from Bones perfect cupid bow’s mouth to his eyes. This close, he could see all the colors in them. 

“I saw the pictures.” Jim blurted. 

“What pictures?” Jim felt Bones lips move against his finger and there was no reason for that to be as insanely hot as it was. 

“Peachtree General. Santa.” Full sentences were beyond Jim’s ability now. Bones’ eyes widened and a flush crept over his cheeks. He flopped his head back on the sofa, exposing the long, tempting column of his neck.

“Men will do anything to get laid, won’t they?” Bones said, his husky drawl pronounced. “Told you she was a good holographer.”

“The best.” Jim nodded, fervently. 

“So, when’d you see them?”

“Bout a week ago.”

“I can’t believe you’ve known about them for a week and not teased me about them once.”

“You should talk about being a tease what with the candy canes and the guitar playing and the sexy Santa photos.” Bones flushed even further but then raised his head to stare defiantly at Jim. Jim was aware of how close they were together, cuddled in their cocoon of blankets, their sides pressed together. Despite always complaining about the cold, the heat from Bones felt like a furnace. Maybe that was just the combustible combination of them together. 

“You meant me to see them.” Jim realized. “You told me she was a holographer. You mentioned she was the best one in Georgia. You knew I’d be curious enough to search her out.” Bones shrugged but didn’t deny it.

“Why’d you want me to see the photos, Bones?”

“Why’d you go looking for them, Jimmy?”

They stared at each other, balanced on the knife edge of their world changing, the seconds ticking into minutes, the silent dorm surrounding them. Ever the risk taker, Jim cracked first. He leaned forward and brushed his mouth over Bones’ full lips, more of a promise of a kiss than an actual one. Bones moaned, a breathless, needy sound and Jim broke, surging toward him as Bones’ arms came up to wrap around him. Jim straddled Bones as he crashed his mouth down on his, claiming what he’d desperately wanted for so long. 

In the way of all first kisses, it was a bit awkward as they both fought for dominance. Yet, it was glorious at the same time. Bones cradled Jim’s head in his large palm, his fingers carding through his hair as they slanted their lips together, finding just the right way to take each other apart. Bones sucked Jim’s lower lip, biting gently, before sweeping his tongue into his mouth, tasting of peppermint, eggnog, and sin. Jim groaned, a low broken keening sound, clutching at Bones’ strong shoulders. 

Dazed, he raised his head, locking eyes with Bones. “Shouldn’t we talk about this or…?”

“Later.” Bones tugged his head down and captured his mouth again. Jim rocked against him, instinct making him needy. Bones trailed kisses down his neck, yanking at Jim’s shirt to press hot, wet kisses along his collarbone.

“You’ve been teasing me on purpose.” Jim groaned. “I’m pretty sure I’m mad at you about that.”

“Like you haven’t been teasin’ me for years.” Bones slid his palms up under Jim’s t-shirt, stroking his back, both of them rocking together, seeking heat and friction as they aligned and collided.

“Why didn’t you say something?” Jim slid his hands down to grip Bones’ biceps, not sure if he was trying to slow down or pull him closer. 

“Same reason you didn’t, I imagine.” Bones pulled Jim’s t-shirt over his head and skimmed his fingertips under Jim’s pajama waistband. “You sure you want to talk about this now? Or would you rather just do this?”

“Rather do you.” Jim smirked at him. 

“How’d I fall in love with an infant?” Bones groaned, letting his head fall back on the sofa.

“You love me?” Jim asked, wonder in his voice. Bones opened his eyes and looked at him. Slowly, his eyes never leaving Jim’s face, Bones nodded, biting his full lower lip. Jim saw the truth then in Bones face. Though he hadn’t had the courage to name the emotion, even to himself, he knew that he felt the same. The thought should terrify commitment phobic Jim Kirk. Instead, it exhilarated him to know that he’d be on this great adventure of the heart with Bones, who he trusted, who he desired, who he... 

“Love you too, Bones.” Jim stood and tugged him over to the bed, where he proceeded to show him just how much he loved him. Much later, curled together on the bed, Jim raised his head to look at Bones, his best friend, now his lover. “I just have one question.”

“Just one?”

“Do you still have the Santa undies?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Though I didn’t plan it this way, four of these entries are related and tell the story of how our boys finally got their act together. Day 10 (Santa Photos); Day 17 (Candy Cane); Day 22 (Star) and today. They can be read almost as a mini-story. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed the Advent Calendar and that it made your Christmas just a bit more merry. I had a great time writing it. 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments, kudos, and encouragement. It really makes my day to get feedback. 
> 
> I currently have three McKirk stories in varying stages of completion. One is a cross-over with Almost Human called Temporal Paradoxes. Another is their Academy time through the first film, tentatively titled Painting Stars. And a third is about them as parents, titled Starship Lullaby. They should all be up early in the new year.
> 
> Visit me at Tumbler: 
> 
> http://www.tumblr.com/blog/corrie71
> 
> or at Livejournal:
> 
> http://corrie71.livejournal.com
> 
>  
> 
> Have a very happy and safe holiday season. All the best to you in 2014.


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